Terms and EndearmentThe forum the beancounters hoped would never happen. Your news on pay, rostering, allowances, extras and negotiations where you work. Let others in the industry make educated choices on where the grass is less brown! Scheduled, charter or contract -
Years ago when we could have flight deck visits a passenger asked me what an empty section on the center pedestal was, the Captain, who was a bit of a wag, replied that it was for tips. As the passenger disembarked the flight he handed one of the cabin crew a few coins, "For the pilots".
As times are getting harder, does anyone have a better method of encouraging tipping?
I frequently stand by the door whilst the customers disembark but have yet to be offered any cash whatsoever.
I'm thinking of attaching some kind of jar to the flight deck door with a note saying "All gratuities gladly accepted".
Here’s a fine scheme for the pandering of gratuity. Take a bus tour of the city where you reside. Now mind you it’s not to take in the sites, but for the concluding pronouncement thanking one and all for joining the bus tour and if you truly enjoyed the tour, please show your gratitude munificently as tips are greatly cherished.
You can modify the farewell by modifying “to show your appreciation for cheating death again”.
I notice the British Airways pilots usually make a point of 'waiting for tips' as their passengers disembark but oddly have their magnificent caps still on their heads, instead of held out Oliver Twist style.
One Captain I flew with many years ago, placed his hat outside the cockpit door with 2 half-crowns in it as an encouragement to disembarking passengers. When he retrieved his hat, the 2 half-crowns had gone!
I remember a very thick flight deck visitor standing silently gazing at the horizon. When I asked him if he had any questions, he turned, looked at the clothes hooks on the rear bulkhead and said: "Is that your 'at"
I have to say after a long run of people asking to bring their 'son' up to see the FD, and bringing an infant in arms who had apparently filled his nappy, and inebriated men breathing alcohol over the FD, and hysterical women who had drunken giggling fits, I can't say I feel the ban is now out of place. A FD moving at 500mph is no place for entertaining idle visitors.
It used to be the joke, during labor contract negotiations, the we would all work for tips and tips alone. The company hated that idea. But, one guy crunched the numbers and figured he'd make more money if we worked for tips.
I suppose this is possible. Figure 800 hours per year of flying, two-hour average segments, that's 400 flights a year. Multiply that by an average of, say, 150 passengers per flight...that's 60,000 passengers per year. If each passenger averaged $5 USD per tip...that's $300,000 USD per year in tips. Split it with your fellow pilot. Not bad....
As an aside, we also used to tell the company during labor contract talks, that we should be paid a percentage of what the CEO makes. Say, like maybe 1%. So, if the CEO makes (total annual compensation) $35M per year (This is not unusual here in teh U.S.), that's $350,000 for the pilots.
Of course, the tip compensation scheme wouldn't work these days, as the level of airline service is dreadful (in the U.S. it is....possibly not so elsewhere in the world), and most passengers would rather punch the airline workers in the face rather than give a nice tip.
5$US is nowhere near enough! People leave greater tips when they eat out. I've mused on this idea too and the sums are impressive.
First get your airline to remove the flightcrew costs from the price of the ticket. Then apply a "pilotage surcharge" per flight of £10 per captain and £6 per co-pilot. I'd worked on an average of 120 passengers per sector.
That's £480,000 per year for a captain and £288,000 per year for a co-pilot.
Makes you think, doesn't it. £16 per passenger per flight for the pilots' professional services isn't a great deal to pay, is it? So, just how much is each passenger actually "paying" the pilots through the ticket price at present? Without working it out, about £1.50 between them, I think.
Years ago when I flew the then shiny new S76As for Bristow we were called on to do quite a few executive charters. More then often a brown envelope would be passed to the crew. The Ops Manual was quite specific. 'All gratuities must be deposited with the company.' It's amazing how you forget how to operate the aircraft.
Last edited by Fareastdriver : 27th July 2008 at 20:01.
Well, it's a sad day when pilots are reduced to working for tips. I consider it disgraceful behavior. If you think you should be tipped, then you have sunk to the lowest level, and are being paid what you are worth. I have never accepted them even when offered, and I wouldn't offer my services anyplace where they were necessary or customary.
When I was a young lad I often went on coach trips to the seaside. One of my two overwhelming memories was the day trippers passing round the driver's cap at the end of the trip for tips. The over memory was listening to "I was born under a wondering star" by some actor whose name I can't quite remember.
Looking back I'm not convinced the two weren't linked, and if enough tips weren't received the driver would play the track again.
It's only an idea but get yourself a copy of the track and wait for the money to roll in!
One of our Captains joked to my girlfriend, who is a junior FA, that once they passed 60 degrees of latitude they were paid £20. Before she entered the flight deck the FO had loaded the ACARS printer with £20 notes. Once they passed 60 degrees latitude the Captain would push the slew button, and low and behold 20 quid popped out. She said she did not fall for it but I beg to differ.
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